Star Light, Star Bright
by Ink Runs Through My Veins
Summary: Caeli is the daughter of Scorpius and Rose Malfoy. She is also Deaf. But when Scorpius betrays Rose's trust, she takes Caeli and leaves. Now after ten years, he is back and wants to make it up to her; to both of them. But will they let him? And more importantly, will they ever become a real family again?
1. Chapter 1

I don't own the characters. I attach strings to them and shout, "Dance marionettes! Dance for my pleasure!"

* * *

The labor was more painful than should be allowed. It felt like the contractions were tearing me up from the inside. I wanted to die so badly I begged the Healers to end my life quickly. My mum and aunts teared up when they heard this and begged the Healers to give me more morphine. But Scorpius was by my side through every painful contraction, every tear, every shout that he was never coming near me again. He just held my hand and tried to soothe the pain.

After sixteen dreadful hours of labor, Caeli Venus Malfoy was born. I couldn't have been happier. I had always wanted a girl of my own and that dream had been made a reality.

And then we discovered she had been born without her hearing.

* * *

Scorpius and I were always at odds after we discovered Caeli was Deaf. Scorpius wanted her to get something called a Cochlear Implant. It would give her back her hearing electronically, but she would have to attend speech therapy for years and would have to work harder just to be able to keep up with us. By nature, people who are hearing impaired and can lipread can only understand 30% of what Hearing people are saying. I, on the other hand, wanted Caeli to live however _**she**_ wanted. If she wanted to get a Cochlear Implant when she was of age, then by all means she could get it and I would fully support it. But until she was of age, I wanted her to try and live with her uniqueness.

Scorpius was furious with me. He claimed that I was keeping Caeli from her real abilities by keeping her Deaf.

"Keeping her Deaf?" I screeched. We were in another fight. We never had to worry about Caeli waking up during one of these fights. In fact, she could sleep through and earthquake if she had to. This must have been the hundredth fight we've had since we brought Caeli home two weeks ago. "I am not keeping her Deaf!"

"Then explain to me why you won't at least consider the Cochlear!" He roared back.

"Because unlike you, I did research on it! Did you know that they actually have to _**physically**_ cut open her head to implant a machine? And that they can't take it out, even if she later decides she doesn't like it? Thats not keeping her Deaf Scorp, thats taking away her options. And as a mother, I refuse to do that." I softened my eyes and took his hands in mine. "I want the best for her Scorp, and Cochlear Implant surgery goes wrong sometimes. It could damage her nerve cells. She could never move her face again, let alone hear. Do you want to risk that all so she has to work harder to keep up with us?"

He sighed and brought me closer to his chest, his arms wrapped around my frame. "I don't want her to be like me: shunned because of who her grandfather and great-grandfather were. Now that we know she's Deaf, she could be shunned for two reasons instead of one."

I smiled. "I know its a bit early to say this, but we can't protect her forever no matter how much we want to. Before you know it, she'll grow up before our eyes. She'll go on her first date, have her first boyfriend and then some," He growled and I giggled. "and then she'll be married. We will have done all we could to raise a responsible, lovely girl who would change the world with her fantastic ideas. And she'll have done it by herself. Someday, before you even blink, she'll grow up and she won't be our little girl anymore."

"She'll always be my little girl."

I smiled wider and leaned onto his chest. "I remember telling my dad that I wasn't going to be his little girl forever, that he had to let go of me someday. The day he gave me away to you at our wedding was the day he finally let go."

He smiled. "I remember shaking so hard Albus said I looked like one of those small dogs."

"Chihuahuas?"

"Yeah." We both laughed before he sobered. "I really do want to take her in for testing though. Just to see if she's eligible."

I shook my head. "Please just trust me on this Scorpius. I don't want her to get it."

He sagged his shoulders. "Alright."

* * *

I was home when the phone rang. Mum gave the telley to us as a gift for our wedding. We rarely used it except when we were forced to interact with the muggle world.

Scorpius had taken Caeli on a walk and wanted me to stay home and rest. I had just finished this huge case on some new-age Voldemort supporters at the Ministry of Defense and I was tired as bloody hell. I was just getting ready to take a nap when the phone rang. I groaned and got up to walk to the kitchen where the phone was. I picked it up. "Hello?"

"Is this Mrs. Malfoy?" A female voice answered.

"Yes. Who is this?"

"This is Dr. Trevlyn from the Deaf Children of England Association." My heart froze. "Your husband called to schedule an appointment for Caeli Malfoy. We wanted to set up a date for her appointment for her Cochlear Implant."

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that won't be necessary."

"Excuse me?"

I swallowed. "We won't be requiring an appointment. Thank you very much for your time." I hung up, curled in a ball and cried.

* * *

It was hard watching him walk through that door. He was red-cheeked and covered in snow, but still smiling. Caeli was squealing as Scorpius shook all the snow off her cheeks. He stopped when he noticed me frowning, my suitcase beside me. "What happened Rose?"

"How could you?"

He frowned. "What are you–"

"How could you lie to me like that?"

He set Caeli down and she scampered to me. I picked her up and held her close. I was so close to tears my voice shook. "What are you talking about Rose?"

"Why did you schedule for Caeli to get a Cochlear Implant without telling me?"

He froze and turned whiter than the snow outside. "How did you–"

"Do you know how devastating that was for me? Realizing my husband was lying to me about our daughter's health? Did you even care what would have happened when she actually got it? That I wouldn't have gotten upset? Or did you not even care about what I thought?"

"Rose I–"

I held a hand up to stop him. "I'm divorcing you and I'm going to get full custody of Caeli."

"Rose!"

"What!" I screamed. "You should have expected this when you got the appointment without telling me! Marriage is supposed to be based on trust! You didn't trust my decisions when I asked you to not go through with it! I told you what could have happened, what the Implant would have done to our daughter and you ignored me! And now I'm doing what I feel is right. I'm protecting my daughter."

"From me, her father?"

"From the man who tried to make decisions for her." I turned to walk away, but he stood in front of the door.

"She is mine just as much as she is yours! You have no right to do this!"

"I have the right as a mother to keep my daughter safe." My voice was so cold I shocked myself as well as Scorpius. "And you are getting in the way of that. Now move or I'll hex you."

"No."

I clenched my wand in my hand. "Scorpius now."

"Not without you putting our daughter down. If you want to leave, then fine. But Caeli is my daughter just as much as she is yours and she deserves her hearing."

That was the last straw. "Incarcerous."

I watched ropes appear out of nowhere and wrap around him, restraining him and tackling him to the floor. As he tried to wiggle out of his binds I stepped over him, disappearing into the snow-covered streets, ignoring his shouts for me to come back.

* * *

_Ten Years Later_

* * *

I groaned at the thing waking me up: my twelve year old daughter Caeli. Not that she could hear me, but damn her, she could read emotions better than most adults.

"Come on Mum!" She signed excitedly . "It's Chirstmas! Time for presents!"

"Coming honey." I tiredly signed. "Just give Mum a minute. And if I found out that you woke me up before seven, all of your presents from me and Santa are going in the trash."

"I was seven!" She pouted. "Fine. But you have to make some hot chocolate and biscuits after we open presents, promise?"

"Promise. Go separate the presents and we'll open them in a few minutes."

She smiled and practically flew out the door. I sighed, closing my eyes and relishing in the comfort darkness brought me before turning over in my bed and grabbing my robe. I had to head downstairs soon or else Caeli would get impatient and open the presents herself. She was so like Scorpius in that regard.

I paused at the top of our staircase. It had been ten whole years since I divorced Scorpius and took Caeli with me. The custody battle took all of five minutes. All I had to do was tell the jury why I was divorcing Scorpius and how I was just a mother trying to look out for her daughter's well-being and they ate it up like ice cream on a hot day. I got full custody and Caeli and Scorpius had absolutely no say in how I raised Caeli. Other than the support check that came in every month, I haven't heard from him since.

I sighed and tightened my robe around me. I had lost contact with my family ever since I took Caeli away. I wanted to raise her like a normal girl until her letter from Hogwarts came, so I moved out of the Wizarding community and bought a house in a muggle neighborhood. I still worked in the Magical Law Enforcement, but I now held an account full of muggle money instead of a vault at Gringotts.

Mardrid was a quiet and peaceful town with one hospital, one shopping mall and a few restaurants scattered about. But more importantly, it held a Deaf primary and middle school where Caeli could attend. At an early age, my mother insisted I attend a muggle school to see what it was like. I loved it, and was sad to leave all my muggle friends behind until I saw was Hogwarts was like. Caeli is now a Second Year and is in love with the place. She rarely talks about anything else.

"Mum!" Her waving her arms jolted me out of my thoughts. "The presents are waiting!"

I couldn't help but smile. She was so full of life, it was hard to stay sad around her. "Coming sweetie."

Suddenly the lamp began to flash. I frowned. Who would be at our house on Christmas day? As if reading my thoughts, Caeli signed, "I'll get it." She went to the front door and opened it.

Standing on our porch was Scorpius Malfoy, his arms full of presents.

I flew down the stairs and slammed the door in his face.


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own the characters. I attach strings to them and shout, "Dance marionettes! Dance for my pleasure!"

* * *

"Mum?"

Caeli was signing, but I didn't know what to say or sign back. The door was being knocked on, but I couldn't move. Why was he back? If he was here to take Caeli away from me, Auror or not I would kill him. I took a deep breath, ignoring the incessant knocks on our door. "Caeli I need you to promise me something okay? I don't want you anywhere near him. Promise me you will not seek him out."

"Why?"

"Promise me!" I insisted.

"Okay okay!" She quickly signed. "But please Mum, tell me who he is."

I sighed in relief and weakly gestured to the tree. "Don't you want to open presents first?"

She gave me her famous talk-_**now **_look. "Sign. Now. Who was that guy?"

I gestured for her to sit on the couch. "That man was your father Caeli."

I saw her eyes tighten and she clenched her fists and I couldn't help but pull her into my embrace. I told her when she first entered Hogwarts why she didn't have a father, a question she had been asking me since she was six. I told her the truth; that Scorpius had gone behind my back to try and give her a Cochlear Implant. I gave her an article about the dangers of Cochlear Implants done by Muggles and Caeli has hated him ever since.

She sat up after a minute. "I want to talk to him."

I groaned. "Caeli–"

"I know Mum. But still, no matter how wrong he was, he's still my father and I want to talk to him. At school, some people ridicule me. Once they found out who my father was, they started calling me descendant of a Deatheater." Her lip wobbled. "They said that I should be in Azkaban for all the things my grandfather and great-grandfather did."

"Why didn't you tell anyone? Why didn't you tell a teacher?"

"They couldn't do anything except take away House points and give out detentions. And when I did, they said that I was a teachers pet just like my mother and grandmother."

I took one of her shoulders. "Honey, you know what a privilege your heritage is."

"I know. The names still hurt though."

I sighed. I really couldn't refuse her, not when I knew she really wanted to meet him. "Alright. I'll work something out. Do you want me to come with you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Please. I can take him any day of the week."

I giggled. "Alright, whatever you say. Now hurry and open the presents. I promised Uncle Alby, Aunty Alice and Avery that they could come over for Christmas lunch."

She squealed in excitement and jumped over to the presents. I smiled. She was so in love with Albus, you wold have thought that he was Caeli's father from the way they acted. Albus was the one of the few exceptions I made when I lost most contact with my family. I tried, but he tracked me down and screamed in my face until he became hoarse. In the end, I promised that he and his son Avery would get to know Caeli. Now, Avery watches over her in my stead while she's at Hogwarts. He helps her with assignments and helps her adapt to her lessons even though shes in Ravenclaw and he's in Gryffindor.

I just hoped I wasn't making a mistake, letting Caeli see her father again.

* * *

I bit my lip as I walked towards the Malfoy Manor.

It had been awhile since I was last here. Scopius insisted we not live at the manor so we moved into Godric's Hollow instead to be closer to Albus. Even though I don't speak to Scorpius anymore, I heard from Albus that he went to live in his grandfather's home. I didn't know why and I didn't care to know why. I was just here for my daughter and nothing else.

I took a deep breath before I pressed the doorbell. Almost instantly the door creaked open and there he stood.

I hadn't had a chance to really take a look at him before I slammed the door in his face. His white hair was longer, more un-kept and swept into a low ponytail. His face hadn't really changed other than the wrinkles of skin near his eyes.

"Rose." Even his voice hadn't changed. "What a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you?"

"Our daughter wants to see you."

His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

I took another deep breath. "Caeli wants to talk to you. Somewhere without me." He didn't know how much it pained me to say that.

"Why does she want to talk to me?"

I shrugged and rubbed my hands together. "I don't know. She saw how I reacted to you at Christmas, stupid move by the way, and when I told her about us–"

"You _**told her**_?" He sounded angry.

Of course me being me, I rolled my eyes at him. "Of course I told her. She's twelve, not six. She can handle the truth."

"It is only your view of the truth."

"Well yours is still wrong." I put up a hand before he could speak. "Look, I'm not here to argue with you. Caeli wants to see you. I can't do anything about that and she has every right to want to see you. I think a Hogsmeade weekend might suffice. And I know from Albus's son that there is one after Christmas break. I can get her special permission to go with the Third Year students to go and see you. Do you think you could possibly meet with her?" He stared at me long and hard for a few minutes. After five minutes, I just snapped, "Well?"

"Fine."

I blinked. "Fine?"

"Yeah, fine. I'll take some time off of work and go see our daughter. That is what you want right?"

What I wanted was for Caeli to forget she even had a father like him. But not all wishes come true. I just nodded. "Yeah." I turned to leave. "I'll see you later."

"Goodbye."

Once he slammed the door I let out a big breath and apparated home.

* * *

I bit my lip. The time I spent with Caeli felt like mere days instead of weeks. There were times I wished I had been selfish and encouraged her to go to a muggle school where she could be closer to me.

But I knew Scorpius would never forgive me if I did that.

So here we were at the train station, platform 9¾, waiting for her train. I patted her shoulder before signing, "Now remember, you don't have to meet him. If you feel threatened in any way, tell Avery or scream."

She rolled her eyes. "Mum, he's my dad, not some molester I met on the internet. I'll be fine. I've already asked Avery, Ivy and Becca to come with me. If anything happens, they'll be there."

Considering the fact that Roxie's daughter inherited her fierce temper and blunt nature, I was definitely more at peace with Rebecca being there for backup. And while Ivy was the sweetest girl in the world, she also had a mean talent for dueling so no questions there. "Just promise me you'll be careful, even with all your friends there."

She nodded. "Promise."

I heard the train whistle blow and I knew I didn't have much time. I hugged her and kissed her cheeks before pushing her towards the Hogwarts Express. "Good luck sweetie. Write okay?"

"Promise Mum!"

And in a flurry of crying parents, excited children's shouts and smoke, she was gone

And I was alone again.

* * *

I sighed and leaned against my compartment window, staring out at the scenery. I know Mum means well, but I've got friends and cousins (even if they are quite distant) to help me. And even thought I'd never sign it, I'd trust them with my life.

Oh well. I love her anyways.

I felt the door open and turned to look at an excited Avery, a cool Beecca (which surprised me as she was rarely ever calm, so she probably broke up with some poor bloke) and my best friend and fellow Ravenclaw, Ivy. It was thanks to all of them that I felt at home at Hogwarts instead of a freak like most of the students made me out to be.

"Hey Caeli." Avery signed. "Excited to be back at Hogwarts?"

I grinned like a maniac. "Ecstatic! I can't wait to learn more spells." If there was one thing that helped me cope with being the daughter of a Malfoy, it was definitely classes. I had to learn nonverbal spells for obvious reasons. I couldn't slack off just because I was Deaf, so I tried my hardest in all my classes. Naturally, this promoted people to call me names behind my back. As hard as all my friends tried to protect me, I could unfortunately read lips very well.

From her shoulders shaking, I could see that Ivy was trying very hard not to laugh. "Always the bookworm Caeli."

I straightened my shoulders with pride. "Of course. I _**am**_ half Granger." I deflated a little. "Guys? I just wanted to thank you for agreeing to do this. I know you probably don't want to, but I need to talk to him. I wasn't going to go if I had no one to come with me, so I appreciate your coming with me to see my dad."

Becca shrugged. "No problem Caeli. Just shout for help and we'll be running right over." She suddenly grinned. It was the kind of grin you would have seen on an evil villain. "I've already been researching what spells to use if he does anything."

I winced. Becca loved to research spells. She would find the oddest spells from ancient books and no one would have a defense because no one used that spell anymore. If you look at it from a dueling perspective it was actually kind of genius. Unfortunately, she liked using them on people who ticked her off. And I had seen enough of her spells to know that I never wanted to get on her bad side.

"Who knows?" Avery piped up. "Maybe he'll be nice. I mean, you haven't seen him since you were two right? Maybe he changed."

I shrugged. "Maybe. I just don't know. I'll think about it when the time comes. Right now, all I can think about is candy from the trolley and how I'm going to get so fat."

* * *

Unfortunately, time passed more quickly than I was comfortable with.

Days came and went and time seemed to be spinning at a much faster pace just for me. Classes, insults from my classmates, even conversation with family seemed a blur to me as I anticipated me and my father's meeting.

On the promised day, I got up early, got dressed and headed to the Headmistress's office to Floo to Hogsmeade at the Three Broomsticks. I met my family and friends outside of the office. Avery looked grim, but Becca and Ivy looked excited. I couldn't blame them. Second Years rarely got to go to Hogsmeade before Third Year and here we were, getting a head start on all of our classmates.

Finally, Headmistress McGonagal came out of her office and began to lead us to the gates. "I'll have you know," She began. Avery signed her words so I could understand her. "that I will not be tolerant if I find out you went anywhere other than the Three Broomsticks. I have asked all the students going into Hogsmeade to be on red alert. One mishap, one toe out of line, and you will be revoked of your Hogsmeade privileges until Fourth Year. Do I make myself clear?" We all nodded. "Good. Now follow me."


End file.
